The present invention relates to the testing of electronic circuit devices, such as integrated circuit chips and operational amplifiers, and more particularly to an improved method and apparatus for such testing.
The circuit components for electronically operated devices, such as hand-held calculators, are typically produced in large quantities on a mass production basis. The proper operability of each circuit component is then checked by comparing its various electrical parameters, such as input current, etc., against comparison values. Since different types of electronically operated equipment typically have differing tolerance requirements for their components, manufactured components are checked not only to determine whether or not they meet certain minimum requirements, but also to classify or categorize the same into groups meeting certain tolerance levels.
Apparatuses provided in the past to check or test the operation and electrical parameter tolerances of circuit components generally require some computer operation skill in order to be properly used. That is, most of such devices typically are general purpose digital computers which are programmed to control the testing operation. It is therefore generally necessary that for each different device to be tested, and whenever the criteria for a test is changed, that the applications program stored in the computer be altered. This generally requires the services of a computer programmer. The new program or alterations on existing programs must then be entered into the computer through, for example, an alpha-numeric keyboard or the like of a conventional input terminal. It will be recognized that it would be desirable to eliminate the necessity of requiring a computer programmer or the like for this purpose, particularly if the manufacturer of the circuit devices typically manufactures many different devices.